Rocket Lettuce is the commercial name for a group of species grown as Rucola. This group of species comprises Eruca sativa, Diplotaxis tenuifolia and Diplotaxis muralis plants.
The species that constitute the plant grouping known as Rucola or rocket lettuce are all cross-pollinating. Eruca sativa, Diplotaxis tenuifolia and Diplotaxis muralis are male- and female fertile and are pollinated by insects.
There is a need to develop a reliable male sterility system for 100% pure hybrid seed production of rucola. Self-pollination of (partial) fertile maternal lines will lead to F1 seed lots contaminated by selfed progeny.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide Rucola plants that can not be propagated by selfing and that can be used for the efficient production of hybrid seeds.
Cytoplasmic male sterility is a characteristic that is transmitted by the female parent of a plant and which prohibits the formation of fertile or functional pollen. Due to the inhibition of the formation of fertile pollen, self-pollination is prohibited and all seeds produced in an F1 seed production field will efficiently be F1 hybrid seeds.
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.